Armed Services

House OKs Split LCS Buy

According to a report from www.dodbuzz.com, on Dec. 15, the House formally approved a measure giving the Navy permission to buy both classes of Littoral Combat Ship. This comes the same week Navy leadership made its case before the Senate Armed Services committee, asking for permission to buy the Freedom and Independence class ships before the end of the month. (Source: www.dodbuzz.com)

Senate Panel OKs $517.7b Defense Bill

The Senate Armed Services Committee approved a $517.7b fiscal 2007 defense authorization bill, a 4 percent increase over the amount authorized by Congress last year. The bill, which includes a $50b bridge fund to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during the first six months of fiscal 2007, totals $4.8b more than authorized by the House Armed Services Committee. The Senate panel, which met behind closed doors, boosted funding for several weapons programs, including the addition of $1

Etter Makes Shipbuilding Top Priority

According to a Reuters report, President George W. Bush's nominee to head Navy acquisition vowed to make shipbuilding a top priority and said she would try to avert funding disruptions that tend to push costs higher. Delores Etter, an engineering professor at the Naval Academy who served in the Pentagon during the Clinton administration, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that technologies need to be fully developed and tested before being added to new arms programs

History of U.S. Review of Proposed DPW Acquisition

The U.S. Treasury Department outlinedthe history of the review of the proposed acquisition by Dubai Ports World (DPW) of various U.S. port facilities currently operated by P&O Ports. The review was performed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). On February 23, the Senate Committee on the Armed Services was briefed in open session on the proposed acquisition. Ranking Member Carl Levin (D-MI) released a copy of his opening remarks

This Day in Naval History - July 26

1812 - Frigate Essex captures British brig Leander. 1912 - First airborne radio communications from naval aircraft to ship (Lt. John Rodgers to USS Stringham). 1942 - Capt. Joy Bright Hancock appointed director, Women's Naval Reserve. 1948 - President Harry S. Truman orders desegregation of the Armed Services. 1954 - Three aircraft from USS Philippine Sea (CVA 47) shoot down two Chinese fighters that fired on them while they were providing air cover for rescue operations for a U.K

U.S. Navy: AMCV Ships Are No Go

Subsequent to recent reports that the U.S. Navy had a vested interest in the half-completed cruise vessels for American Classic Voyages now-defunct U.S. Lines, the Navy has confirmed that it is no longer interested in pursuing the vessels, which are currently at Northrop Grumman in Pascagoula, Miss. According to Adm. Vernon Clark, the Navy had reached the decision after its engineers examined one of the ships at the yard

US Rep. Expects Congress to Add Ships to Defense Budget

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., said that lawmakers will try to add extra ships to the Navy budget, in addition to whatever the Pentagon requests, The Marketplace reported. Taylor said that President George W. Bush isn't fully focused on military needs as the White House prepares its 2008 budget proposal. As a result, Congress ought to use earmarks or other tools to step in, he said. Taylor is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and leads its subcomittee in charge of

Taylor: Base Closures "Bone-Headed"

Congressman Gene Taylor declared Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's list of recommended base realignments and closures as "yet another bone-headed decision." "Back in February 2001, Rumsfeld announced his intention to hold a round of base closures. February 2001 was a whole different world than the one we're in now," said Taylor. "On September 11th, 2001, we were attacked. Since then, we've gone to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. We've declared a global war on terrorism

ASA Touts Shipbuilding Victory

In a victory for the defense shipbuilding industry, Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis (R-VA)garnered overwhelming bipartisan support for an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Bill limiting leases of foreign-built ships to not more than one year. Her amendment was adopted on May 12th by the Armed Services Committee. “Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis stood up for the industry and the security of our Nation with this important

U.S. Transportation Secretary Honors U.S. Merchant Marine on National Maritime Day

As part of the celebration of National Maritime Day, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta today honored the men and women of the U.S. merchant marine who risk their lives on wartime seas. This year’s ceremony at Navy Memorial Auditorium paid special tribute to the action of mariners during World War II. Following the presentation of the colors and a moment of silence, Secretary Mineta spoke of WWII merchant mariners who sacrificed their lives in service to the nation